Safe and vault protector



Apr. 17, 1923.

K 41511374 w. c. BECKWITH SAFE AND VAULT PROTECTOR Filed March 31, 1922 2 Sheets-$heet 1 Apr. 11, 1923.

w. c. B ECKWITH SAFE AND VAULT PROTECTOR File d March 31,

1922 2 Sheets-5heet 2 Patented Apr. 17, 1923.

it t le WALTER C. IBECKWITH, OF FOSTORIA, OHIO.

SAFE AND VAULT PROTECT OR.

Application filed March 31, 1922. Serial No. 548,372.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER C. BEOKWITH, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Fostoria, in the county of Seneca and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safe and Vault Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the unauthorized opening of a safe or vault by. cutting, drilling or by means of explosives will cause air poisoning noxious, pungent or poisonous fumes, odors or vapors to be liberated with consequent disastrous results to persons in the immediate vicinity.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be in part apparent and in part described as the specification is proceeded with.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a front view of a safe with the invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the device;

Figure 3 is a side view;

Figure 4: is a plan view of the safe or vault door broken away to show the mounting of chain 22;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the position assumed by the parts of the device when the cork 8 is removed from the bottle neck;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the invention; and

Figure 7 is a rear view partially broken away.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 denotes a base plate preferably of sheet metal, adapted to be connected to the inner door 2 of a safe or vault 3. Secured to the face of this plate 1 is a housing 4 containing and supporting a bottle 5 in inverted position, which contains any suitable air poisoning agent.

Seoured to the lower upper face of the housing 4 and depending therefrom is a lip 6 to the extremity of which is pivotally secured a hinge member 7 as at 14. This hinge member 7 carries a cork or other suitable bottle stopper 8 adapted to seat within and close the neck of the bottle 5 when the hinge member 7 is swung upwardly towards the bottle neck.

ll hat may be termed a concussion flap or plate 9 is bingedlji connected to the upper end of the bottle housing 1: as at 10. This plate 8 is preferably of sheet metal and of slightly greater width than the base plate 1. A. U-shaped link 11 is pivotally connected at one end to the concussion plate 9 as at 12 and at its other end is pivotally connected to the free end of the, hinge member 7 as at 13. 7

It will be noted when the bottle stopper 8 is inserted in the neck of the bottle 5, that the link 11 holds the concussion plate 9 in an inclined position away from the base plate, However, in the event the safe or vault door 2 is drilled and an explosive charge set of? inside the safe, the force of the explosion will drive the free end of the concussion plate 9 towards the base plate 1. This n'iovement of the plate 9 causes the hinge member 7 to swing downwardly on its pivot by virtue of the link connection 11, and the bottle stopper is thus forced from the bottle thereby freeing the poisonous fumes. v

Since the advent of the acetylene torch safe burglars frequently resort to cutting away sections of a vault door through which the contents of the safe may be extracted without the necessity of using explosives. The successful carrying out of this method, however, is prevented in the following manner.

It will be noted that the base plate 1 is formed at opposite ends with inturned flanges 15 and 16 which hold the plate spaced from the safe door 2 and provides accommodation for a sliding plate 17. This plate 17 is connected to a second sliding trip plate 18 on the opposite face of the base plate 1, by means of bolts 19 passing through a slot 20 in the base plate. A coil spring 21 connected at one end to the flange 16 and at its other end to the plate. 17 has a tendency to pull the plate 17 and the trip plate 18 down to Figure 5 position. These plates however, are normally held up in Figure 3 position against the tension of coil spring 21 by means of a chain 22 connected to the sliding plate and passing upwardly through the fian e 15, thence in zig Zagfashion. around pulleys 23 suitably located in the interior of the door 2, and finally being made fast as at 24:.

Any attempt to cut or even drill. any material portion of the door 2 will result in the chain 22 being severed, whereupon the coil spring 21 will pull the trip plate 18 down to Figure 5 position and cause the angular projecting portion 23 thereof to strike the free end of the hinge member 7. As the hinge member 7 swings downwardly the bottle stopper will of course, be pulled from the neck of the bottle. IVhen in this position electric contact is made at 26, which causes an electric buzzer or the like not shown, to sound an alarm.

Any suitable means such as the hinged prop 24; may be employed to prevent accidental pulling of the stopper during authorized use of the safe. This prop can be readily swung to operative position at the close of each day.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention it will be understood that changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that I have provided a very simple and efficient means for prevention of theft of the contents of safes or vaults where unauthorized entrance is gained either by the use of explosives or the acetylene torch method.

IVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. Protective means for safes or the like comprising a base adapted to be secured to the interior of the safe, means on said base for holding in inverted position a receptacle containing an air poisoning a ent, a stopper for said receptacle, a spring neld trip plate slidably mounted on said base adapted to cause said stopper to be withdrawn when said trip plate is released and a chain mounted in the interior of the safe door for normally holding said trip in set position, said chain adapted to be severed to release said trip when the walls of said door are cut.

2. Protective means for safes or the like comprising a base adapted to be secured tothe door of the safe, means on said base for holding in inverted position a receptacle containing an air poisoning agent, a stopper for said receptacle, means adapted to be actuated by an explosion in the safe for withdrawing said stopper, a spring actuated trip member, a flexible member for holding said trip in set position, said trip adapted to actuate said aforesaid means to release said stopper when said chain is severed.

In testimony whereof I affix mv signature.

WALTER o. BEGKWITH. 

